Aug 31 2009
Society’s Programming
I realize I don’t usually blog about my business, but there was something on my mind today that I want to share!
At our company convention a couple of weeks ago, Michael Clouse was our keynote speaker and he shared a little about the negative programing we are raised with. Our parents, who try to protect us by teaching us
“Don’t talk to__________”, try to teach us good manners by saying “Don’t speak until ___________”, and “Children should be seen and not ______________” (you fill in the blanks), in reality taught us to grow up with a deep rooted fear of talking to people we don’t know!
Aside from that, not only are we afraid to approach others, but when someone whom we don’t know approaches us — we immediately become suspicious and brand them as “weird”.
Two events have happened to me in the past week that got me thinking more about this topic –
#1 — At the grocery store last week, there was a little boy (about 2 years old) shopping with his Mom. We crossed paths a few times as we went up and down the aisles, and each time we did this little boy would smile, wave and say “HI!!!” then as I walked away he would say (just as enthusiastically) “BYE!!”
And what did his mother do? Absolutely NOTHING! She averted her eyes, turned away, and acted like, if anything, she was actually embarassed by the behavior of her child. How sad, that society has taught us to be embarassed about approaching others.
Chances are, I probably will never see this little boy again — but I would be willing to bet a fair amount that if our paths did cross again, 3, 4, or 5 years from now, that little boy would no longer wave and say “Hi” to me as I walked by. Instead, he will probably stand there quietly and watch me pass without saying a word.
Situation #2: There is a man who lives down the street from my house who has a slight mental disability. He is often seen walking down the street on his way to or from the corner store. Each time I drive past this man in my car, he smiles as big as he can, and waves.
Now, I live in Texas — *smile*, and a casual wave from passersby is actually quite common; but the enthusiasm this man puts behind his wave and his smile would have you think he had been your best friend for years! Even for Texas, that’s a bit over the top. It made me start wondering though, how different our world would be if everyone you met on the street waved and smiled at each other so enthusiastically.
As a Network Marketer, you have to overcome this deep rooted fear to talk to people you don’t know. You have to get up the nerve to say “HI!” to people in the grocery store, and give enthusiastic smiles to those you meet. You have to retrain yourself to “walk and talk” and share your incredible business opportunity with everyone!
It will be hard to do at first — a little uncomfortable, a little scary. Just like for that boy in the grocery store it is a little uncomfortable to sit quietly in the grocery cart without talking. Overtime though, that boy will learn to be quiet… just as you will learn to talk again.
The quote I leave you with today is this, by Michael S Clouse:
“If you want this thing to work, you must work this thing you want.”
